I think Paul, that the game was eventually played, leaving this one on the same web pages

Ah yes, you're quite right. So Bolton v Brentford is only the second time a FL fixture stays unplayed. I did like the tweet which showed Bolton 0-1 Brentford (Bassini OG, 89)

Re Safety Advisory Group, it's just that, an advisory group. It has no powers as such but its does work with local authorities as its they who ultimately decide whether or not to issue a safety certificate. Once the local authority decided not to issue a safety certificate for the Bolton game then it'd have been the league (or is it the club?) who called the game off.

The Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975 and the Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sport Act 1987 are the relevant legislation, in Scotland, England and Wales. They require certain sports grounds to apply to the local authority for a 'safety certificate'. Generally this means sports grounds with a capacity for more than 10,000 spectators (designated stadium), or stands in sports grounds providing covered accommodation for more than 500 spectators (regulated stand). Different Local Councils award safety certificates in different ways - usually the Police, Fire, Ambulance, Building Control and Health & Safety will be involved in issuing a certificate at the start of the season. This will be "re-confirmed" before each home game, usually by Police and Health & Safety along with the club.

So they'll start next season with a 12 point deduction, apparently. Can't help feeling this is still a better outcome for all parties, even the creditors, than jumping into bed with the likes of Bassini. And it must be doubtful whether, with his record of bankruptcy and a previous ban from football, he'd have passed the fit and proper test anyway.

So they'll start next season with a 12 point deduction, apparently. Can't help feeling this is still a better outcome for all parties, even the creditors, than jumping into bed with the likes of Bassini. And it must be doubtful whether, with his record of bankruptcy and a previous ban from football, he'd have passed the fit and proper test anyway.

The deduction is likely to be more than that with the punishment for failing to fulfill the Brentford game. As we haven't actually entered administration as yet, and with only a fortnight to sort the mess out, I think the whole thing is sadly far from over.

So they'll start next season with a 12 point deduction, apparently. Can't help feeling this is still a better outcome for all parties, even the creditors, than jumping into bed with the likes of Bassini. And it must be doubtful whether, with his record of bankruptcy and a previous ban from football, he'd have passed the fit and proper test anyway.

The deduction is likely to be more than that with the punishment for failing to fulfill the Brentford game. As we haven't actually entered administration as yet, and with only a fortnight to sort the mess out, I think the whole thing is sadly far from over.

I don’t feel at all sorry for the club. I feel sorry for the local businesses & authority that will not see a penny. The club will get away with paying a fraction of its debts. If ever a club was a basket case, then Bolton Wanderers are at the top. No doubt they’ll be bought out of administration & in a couple of years time they’ll be on the up again. I’d throw them out the league & not allow them back until every penny was paid back.

Until someone discovers how to extract blood out of a stone then, assuming a buyer is not forthcoming, administration then potentially liquidation are the only remaining steps available. Bad debts are an inevitable part of business and business people understand that and try to mitigate against it. Once in administration, any new owner that brings the club back out of it will likely want/need to re-establish both goodwill amongst the community and trading relationship with at least some of the creditors - relationships which will likely be far more beneficial to those creditors in the long run than expelling the club from the league in the vain hope they'd ever generate enough funds to pay back even a fraction of the original debt. Same principle would apply if it ever reached the liquidation stage and we were talking about a phoenix club.

Saying all that, I wouldn't be averse to seeing them have a taste of non-league football, but that's purely because of past rivalries!

Until someone discovers how to extract blood out of a stone then, assuming a buyer is not forthcoming, administration then potentially liquidation are the only remaining steps available. Bad debts are an inevitable part of business and business people understand that and try to mitigate against it. Once in administration, any new owner that brings the club back out of it will likely want/need to re-establish both goodwill amongst the community and trading relationship with at least some of the creditors - relationships which will likely be far more beneficial to those creditors in the long run than expelling the club from the league in the vain hope they'd ever generate enough funds to pay back even a fraction of the original debt. Same principle would apply if it ever reached the liquidation stage and we were talking about a phoenix club.

Saying all that, I wouldn't be averse to seeing them have a taste of non-league football, but that's purely because of past rivalries!

I believe they owe £46million or £56 million(I forget exactly which one). Those involved in trying to rescue them, are really interested in the Hotel & not paying back the debt. They owe the local authorities £1.2 million. These are astronomical figures for a Div1 club. How they were allowed to finance a promotion winning team only 2 seasons ago is a joke. When they should’ve been trying to service the debt. Those involved in trying to rescue them, are now arguing as to who should finance the administration. The Hotel should be sold & then last see who’s interested in saving the club.

Possibly more coming when the EFL discuss sanction to be imposed for failing to fulfil the Brentford game? Middlesbrough lost points for the same thing albeit slightly different circumstances and it was the PL who dealt with that one.

Possibly more coming when the EFL discuss sanction to be imposed for failing to fulfil the Brentford game? Middlesbrough lost points for the same thing albeit slightly different circumstances and it was the PL who dealt with that one.

There has been half a suggestion that any deduction for the Brentford game would be deducted from the 2018/19 total given that the offence took place during that season. Not sure of the accuracy of that, but that was certainly the case with Middlesbrough, albeit they committed their offence earlier in the season and the deduction had a marked effect on the league table.